Railway brake-beam.



` s. A. cRoNB. RAILWAY lBRAKE'BEAIIII. APPLIOATION FILED-APR. 2Q.1910.

WIT/VESSES:

ruE Nanms Fergus co., WAsmNaroN, u. c.

'PatennedlJan 17, 191,1.

2 MEETS-SHEET 1.

' 1 s, A. GRONE. RAILWAY BRAKE BEAM. A I APPLIoAT-ION FI'LED APB. 2.1910.

Patented Jam?, 1911.v

ATTORNEY 1HE mmms PETA-Rs ca.. wAsmNc-m imi SETI-I A. GBONE, OF EASTORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY 'BRAKE-BEAM.

tieners.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

Application filed April 29, 1910. Serial No. 558,396.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH A. CRONE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailwayBrake-Beams, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe invent-ion relates to improvements in railway brake-beams, and itconsists in the novel features and structure hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention pertains to truss-beams and resides more particularly in anovel construction of the compression and strut members of the beam.

One object of my invention is to produce a channel compression member ofnovel formation rendering it of increased efficiency in resisting thestrains to which such member in brake-beams is subjected in practicaluse.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide for the effectualsecuring of the strut to the compression member without weakening thelat-ter, and a further object of the invention is to enable the securingof the brake-heads to the ends of the compression member with a savingof the space ordinarily occupied by such heads, this being a matter ofconsiderable importance in many instances.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of one end portion of a brake-beam embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 is an end View of the same, the truss rod beingomitted; Fig. 3 is a side view, partly broken away, of the channelcompression member; Fig. 4: is an end projection of the same; Fig. 5 isa transverse seotion of the same on the dotted line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig.6 is a top view of the middle portion of a railway 'brake-beam embodyingmy invention; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the same on thedotted line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a top view of one end portion of abrake-beam employing my compression member, this view showing the end ofthe compression member as not being reduced to receive the brake-head;Fig. 9 is an end view of the same, the truss-rod being omitted; Fig. 10is a detached top view of a part of my compression member having areduced end-portion; Fig. 11 is a side view of the same; Fig. 12 is aprojection from the left hand end of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a detached topview of one end portion of a modified construction of compression memberembodying my invention; Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the same, andFig. 15 is an end view of the same.

In the drawings, 10 designates the compression member, 11 the truss-rod,and 12 'the strut, the truss-rod engaging at its middle portion thestrut and at its ends being secured at the ends of the compressionmember.

The compression member 10 shown in Figs 1, 3, 4L, 5 and 6 is formed of arolled section of generally channel outline in crosssection, and differsfrom ordinary channel sections in several particulars characterizing aportion of my invention. The com `pression member 10, as may be seenmore clearly in Figs. 1, o and 5, has sides 13 of considerable thicknessand of greater width from edge to edge than is customary, and the web orback 14k connecting said sides is thinner than the sides and about thesame in vertical depth or from one longitudinal edge to the other as thewidth of said sides 13 between their longitudinal edges. provide thesides 13 of considerable thickness and width between their longitudinaledges in order to secure the maximum efficiency in the member inresisting the direct strains to which brake beams are ordinarilysubjected in use, and form the connecting web or back 14 of lessmaterial than that contained in said sides so as to bring the center ofgravity of the compression member as nearly central through the sidesthereof as may be possible. The thinning of the back or web portion 1&1of the compression member does not weaken the member in any prejudicialsense, because the sides 13 constitute the parts which are required tomeet the direct strains, and the absence of an excess of metal in theweb portion 14 enables me to obtain the proper weight and strength ofbeam with the greater body of the metal in the sides 13 thereof. At itsends the compression member 10 is definitely shaped to meet therequirements of the brake-heads 15, and in Figs. 1 and 10 it may be seenthat the end of the compression member is reduced in width, as at 16, tosuitably enter the socket in the brake-head 15. I may lessen the widthof the ends of the compression member by cutting angular recessestherein, as shown at 17, in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the metal being cut outof the sides of said member to form said recesses and leave the ends ofthe member of suitable size to be projected into the sockets providedfor them in the brake-heads. I prefer, however, not to cut away themetal at the ends of the compression member in reducing the width ofsaid ends, but as shown more clearly i-n Figs. 3, 4 and 10, to upset themetal in the sides of the ends of the compression member so as to reducethe width of `said ends, as at 16 (Fig. 10), and at the same timethicken the sides of the ends of the compression member, as representedat 18, in F igs. 3, 4 and 11, thereby giving to said sides at the endsof the member a thick body of a form (F 2) adapted to snugly receive theends of the truss rod. In accordance with the preferred method ofreducing the ends of the compression member AI leave in said ends all ofthe metal originally contained therein, but by suitable processes,well-known to metal workers, form the reduction in width by crowding themetal of the sides 13 inwardly at the inner faces of said sides and forma very solid end adapted as a secure housing for the end of thetruss-rod. 'Ihe compression member having its ends formed in the mannershown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 constitute a portion of my invention, butsince there are other features of the invention not necessarilydependent on the special treatment just above specified of the ends ofthe compression member, I may, if desired, effect the reduction in widthof said ends in the manner illustrated in Figs. 13, 14 and 15 by simplyrecessing, as at 17, the sides of the compression member.

One advantage in reducing the width of the ends of the compressionmember is to enable said member to receive on its ends brake-heads 15having sockets conforming to the outline of the reduced ends of thebrake-beam and to thereby enable the face of said heads to set inwardlynearer to the plane of the beam or compression member than wouldotherwise be possible. In Figs. 1 and 2 I illustrate the brake-head ashaving a socketadapted to snugly receive the reduced end of thecompression member, and this head, although meeting standardrequirements, may be considered as special for the compression membershown, since its socket is smaller than would be required if the ends ofthe compression member were not reduced in width. My purpose is to formthe brake-heads 15 with sockets of just sufficient dimensions to snuglyreceive the reduced ends of the compression memesreie ber, but ininstances where desired or convenient the ends of the compression membermay be left in their normal condition or unreduced, as I illustrate inFig. 8, wherein the brake-head is numbered 19 and, as indicated bydotted lines, has a socket therein of sufficient dimensions to pass uponthe end, not reduced, of the channel beam. There is no saving in space,however', at the ends of the beam when a brake-head'lQ having a largesocket is employed, since the face of the head then stands outwardlyfarther from the plane of the compression member than would be the case,as in Fig. 1, when the socket'in the head is of reduced size to snuglyfit upon the reduced end of the compression member.

The truss-rod 11 is of standard character, and when employed with thehead 15 shown in Fig. 1, will have a horizontal bend at its outer endsin line with the length ofthe compression member so that it, at itsends, may lie horizontally within and substantially in line with thehousing formed by the thickened sides 1S of the ends of the compressionmember. Upon each end of the truss rod 11 is applied a nut 20, as usual.In Fig. 8 I number the truss-rod 21, since it differs somewhat in itsend portion from the truss-rod 11. The truss-rod 21 is not bent at itsend to lie in line with the compression member, but without being bentextends between' the sides of the compression member and out through theend of the brake-head 19 in a customary manner and receives on itsexposed end the nut 22. The compression member when not reduced at itsends may therefore be employed with a usual construction of truss-rod21, but by preference the special brake-head 15 shown in Fig. 1 will bemade use of, and in that instance the truss-rod 11 will have itsendportion bent to lie along the plane and between the sides of thecompression member so as to occupy as little space as possible at theends of the beam.

The strut 12 is of cast metal and at one end is engaged by the middleportion or bend of the truss-rod in a customary manner, while at itsother end said strut engages the compression member and is securedthereto by a bolt 23 and nut 24. The outer end of the strut 12 entersbetween the upper and lower sides 13 of the compression member 10, andsaid strut at its lower' and upper sides adjacent to the compressionmember is formed with shoulders 25 to seatand firmly bear against theedges of said sides 13, as shown in Figs. G and 7. -Within the outer endof the strut 12 is formed a recess 26 adapted't-o somewhat snuglyreceive the nut 24 so that the latter cannot turn therein. Outwardlybeyond the recess 26 the end of the strut is formed with a contractedneck or sleeve portion 27 through which the bolt 23 extends to enter thenut 2A within said recess. The vertical side or back la of thecompression member 10 in line with the strut l2 is formed with anopening surrounded by an integral inwardly extending flange 28 whosefree edge is in line with and preferably forms a bearing for the outeredge of the neck portion 27 of the strut. The said opening and flangeare formed by first punching a small hole in the compression member andthen forcing the surrounding metal inwardly to create the flange 23,whereby in lieu of decreasing the strength of the compression member aswould be the case if the bolt-hole of full size were cut therein, Ileave in said member substantially all of its metal and displace enoughthereof to create the flange 2S forming and surrounding the opening forthebolt 23, the displaced metal by its disposition tending to increasethe strength of the beam as well as affording a seat or bearing for theouter edge of the neck 27 on the strut.

The bolt la is inserted through the opening formed by the flange 2S andthrough the neck 27 and screwed into the nut 24, and

-since the nut is held stationary by the walls ofthe recess 26 the bolton being screwed into said nut will draw the strut into firm contactwith the compression member 10 and bind said parts together. It isintended that the head on the bolt 23 will bear firmly against the outerside of the member 10 and that the screwing of the stem of said boltinto the nut 2d will draw said nut firmly against the outer wall of therecess 2G, the shoulders 25 against the edges of the sides 13 and theouter edge of the neck 27 against the inner edge of the flange 2S,whereby the strut and compression member of the beam become very firmlysecured together.

My invention thus involves a novel compression member of generallychannel char acter not necessarily in every instance but preferablyreduced in width at its end portions and the reduction being performedby displacing the metal to thicken the sides of the ends of the beam,and a novel construction of the adjacent portions of the strut andcompression member.

Une advantage of my invention is that by my novel form of compressionmember I provide a member, without material, if any, increase in weighttherein, capable of increased resistance to direct strains and havingits center of gravity approximately near to the center of the member.Another advantage of my invention is that by the reduction in width atthe ends of the'beam and bending the ends of the truss-rod to lie alongthe plane of said ends I am enabled to use brake-heads whose faces maystand in near relation to the longitudinal plane of the beam and thussave important space in instances 1n which that result 1s necessary. Thestrength preserved in the reduced ends of the beam bythe displacement ofthev metal in and the thickening of the sides of said ends is also ofadvantage.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A brake-beam comprising a compres sion-member, brake-heads, atruss-rod and a strut, said compression member being of generallychannel section having sides of comparatively substantial and uniformthickness and a back of less thickness than said sides; substantially asset forth.

2. A brake-beam comprising a compression member of generally channelsection,

brake-heads, a truss-rod and a strut, said compression member having themetal in its upper and lower sides, at its end portions, upset inwardlytoward the back of the member, to form recesses (16) in said endportions and thicken said sides thereat, said thickened side portions(18) receiving the ends of the truss-rod between them and said recessespermitting the faces of said heads to be brought into approximately nearrelation to the front plane of said compression member; substantially asset forth.

3. A brake-beam comprising a compression member, a truss-rod and astrut, said compression member having in its outer side a bolt-openingsurrounded by an integral inturned flange, and the outer end of saidstrut having a recess containing an applied nut, combined with a boltapplied through said opening and engaging said nut; substantially as setforth.

d. A brake-beam comprising a compression member, a truss-rod and astrut, said compression member having in its outer side a bolt-openingsurrounded by an integral in-turned flange, and the outer end of saidstrut having a recess containing an applied nut and outwardly beyond thesame a neck portion to engage the inner' edge of said flange, combinedwith a bolt applied through said opening and said neck portion and enngaging said nut; substantially as set forth.`

5. A brake-beam comprising a compression member, a truss-rod and astrut, said compression member being a channel section having in itsouter side a bolt-opening surrounded by an integral in-turned flange,and the outer end of said strut having a recess containing an appliednut, shoulders to engage the flanges of said compression member andoutwardly beyond said recess a neck-portion to engage the inner edge ofsaid integral flange, combined with a bolt applied through said openingand neck portion and engaging said nut; substantially as set forth.

6. A brake-beam comprising a compres sion member, a truss-rod and astrut, said compression member being a rolled section l curing saidparts together; substantially as 10 having in its outer side abolt-opening surset forth.

rounded by an integral in-turned ange, and Signed at New York city, inthe county said strut having a bearing against said of New York andState of New York, this compression member and screw-threaded 27th dayof April A. D. 1910.

means in line with said opening, combined SETI-I A. CRONE.

with a bolt applied through said opening l/Vitnesses: and engaging thesaid screw-threaded means ARTHUR MARION, carried by the strut, fordrawingand se* CHAS. C. GILL.

